Farming

Market round-up

By Neale McQuistin

Harrison and Heatherington Ltd sold 136 clean cattle, 96 cast cows, 2,155 prime lambs and 753 cast sheep at St Boswells yesterday.

Forty-two prime bullocks sold to 300p/kg on three occasions to average 266p (-7p), while 92 prime heifers peaked at 330p to average 272p (-6p). Two young bulls sold to 182p and averaged 181p.

Cast cows sold to 265p and £2,321 to average 185p (n/c), while two cast bulls peaked at 167p and £1,887 to average 154p.

Prime lambs sold to £210 and 466p for Beltex lambs to average £110 or 247p (-3p) overall. Cast sheep averaged £74 (-£10) overall and peaked at £237 for a Texel ewe. Heavy ewes averaged £116, while light ewes sold to £120 for Cheviots to average £68.

The firm also held their weekly sale of primestock at Carlisle yesterday.

Twenty-eight prime heifers sold to 312p/kg to average 257p (-7p), while 13 beef-bred, prime bullocks peaked at 278p to average 245p (+4p).

Four dairy-bred bullocks sold to 180p to average 173p (-34p).

Seventy-five, beef-bred, young bulls peaked at 308p to average 245p (-4p), while 32, dairy-bred, young bulls sold to 230p to average 206p (+2p).

In the cast ring 110 beef cows sold to 274p to average 185p, while 203 dairy cows peaked at 216p to average 146p (+15p). Nine cast bulls sold to 183p to average 158p (-16p).

There were also 2,340 prime lambs sold to a top of £160 and 346p to average 249p (-2p).

Lowland cast sheep (156) sold up to £188 for a Texel to average £98 (+£3), while 77 Hill ewes peaked at £98 for Hill Cheviots to average £65 (+£25).

Lawrie & Symington held its weekly sale of primestock at Lanark yesterday where they sold 50 prime cattle, 99 cast cows and 4,978 prime lambs.

Forty beef-bred, prime heifers peaked at 312p for a Limousin to average 280p overall which was a fall of 6p on the week. Eight beef-bred, prime bullocks sold to a top of 296p for a Limousin, to average 284p – this was a fall of 4p.

In the cast ring at Lanark 50 beef cows sold to average 180p which was a slight fall of 2p, while 46 cast dairy cows slipped a penny on average 155p overall.

Three cast bulls sold to average 165p which was no change on the week. Two prime young bulls averaged 248p, a rise of 6p on the week.

The firm also had a large show of 4,978 prime at Lanark yesterday that sold to return an average of 245p which was similar to other centres yesterday.